I left the chaotic celebration through grand, ornate double doors. Their hinges let out a groan as I slipped past the barricade of their solid mahogany. The buzz of small talk being emitted from the guests of the party was droned out as the doors clicked behind me. Ancient paintings from the early days of the kingdom adorned the bland cobblestone walls of the castle. One candlelit portrait caught my eye and I started towards it, my floor length scarlet dress leaving a trail in the thick dust that coated the floor. An intricately carved frame contained the grand portrait depicting the bold face-- and strong body-- of our first king, Frances III, in all reality. I extended my hand-- and allowing my fingers to uncurl-- stroked a long crack that ran along the nape of his life size neck. Pivoting, my red curls fanned out around me, and the click of my heels echoed as I headed back towards the doors. As I reached toward the handle, I heard the mechanical thud of a vault being opened, and then a scrape. I glanced back to find Frances’ portrait replaced by a gaping hole.

My mind raced and told me to run, but curiosity pulled me toward the gap. I yanked one of the candles form its scaunce and stuck my head inside the doorway. The flickering light revealed and iron staircase that spiraled downward. Following the pull of curiosity again, I kicked off my stiletto heels and stepped through the opening. Putting one foot in front of the other, I padded down the staircase to find myself in a long corridor. My hands began to shake profusely as I inched down the passage. With every twist, I lost increasing amounts of my sense of direction.

Over an hour later, I encountered another set of stairs: this time, they led up. As I ascended the flight, a great sense of exhaustion blanketed my mind. Finally, the flight reached its end and I observed a small trap door above my head. Dust fell as I shoved the door open and hoisted myself through. I found myself deep within the forest. Lost, and without energy, I slouched against an unusually large maple tree, and sank to the ground. Suddenly, there was a deafening crack and the sky split open, releasing every drop of water it contained upon my head. The tightly wound curls that enveloped my neck and shoulders fell, each one slapping my back with a smack. Icy beads of water streamed from each strand and sent chills down my spine as they seeped deeper and deeper into the thin silk of my dress. I was alone, cold, wet, and lost: not to mention shoeless. I let myself wander to the deepest parts of my mind, hoping to find a solution, but instead got lost in sleep.

When my eyes opened, the darkness of last night had been replaced with bright sunlight that streamed through the gaps between leaves. Usually, I would be taking time to admire the beauty of my surroundings, but at the moment all I could seem to do was think of home. Walking into the sunrise, I headed away from the passage and toward the hope of life. Each tree was like a guardian on my journey home. They towered over me like a parent to a young child, and guided my as I moved forward. I spent three days among the trees of that forest, eating only berries and the dew on leaves. However unfortunate it may have been for me-- this experience led to a revolution. Today, passages-- like the one I found-- are used to protect the magnificent people who hold the throne in your kingdom, as well as mine.